Most stories contain dialogue-characters talking with one another. Generally, dialogue is only one of a number of narrative deices used in a story. In "The Open Window", however, Saki constructs his story almost entirely with dialogue. Notice how Saki uses his characters conversations to develop each of the main elements of the story. Plot Traditional short stories consist of a beginning, a middle and an end. The Open Window has such a structure. It begins with dialogue that introduces the aunt, Mr. Nuttel, and the nice, Vera in a natural, almost casual way: "My aunt will be down presently Mr. Nuttel. said a very self-possessed you lady of fifteen...," Dialogue then carries the story all he way through the middle. The end is signaled by the appearance (in two narrative paragraphs) of three figures approaching tin the twilight. most of the end consists of conversation-mainly Vera's vivid, and made up tale explaining Mr. Nuttel's horror of dogs. It concludes with a line not in dialogue. Romance at short notice was her specialty. SettingThe setting, including the pivotal open window, is shown mostly in dialogue. Vera's imagined scene on the moor is all in dialogue; "In crossing the moor... They were all three engulfed in a treacherous piece of bog. It had been that dreadful we summer...." Character Good dialogue shows the read directly what the character is like. You learn for yourself by judging their words, not by having the author tell you. Vera's tow long speeches show clearly that romance is her specialty. She like to tell fanciful tales. What questions does Vera ask Framton? What does Framton's words suggest about his personality? What do you think is Vera's motivation for asking the questions? What is suggested by Vera's description of her aunt including details such as "poor", "she believes...", "talks about...", and "annoyed by brother" ? What does Vera's dialogue show about her? Why does Vera want Framton to wonder about the open window? What makes her second tale about pariah dogs on the Ganges so effective?
Open Window - Dialogue
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Most stories contain dialogue-characters talking with one another. Generally, dialogue is only one of a number of narrative deices used in a story. In "The Open Window", however, Saki constructs his story almost entirely with dialogue. Notice how Saki uses his characters conversations to develop each of the main elements of the story.
Plot
Traditional short stories consist of a beginning, a middle and an end. The Open Window has such a structure. It begins with dialogue that introduces the aunt, Mr. Nuttel, and the nice, Vera in a natural, almost casual way: "My aunt will be down presently Mr. Nuttel. said a very self-possessed you lady of fifteen...,"
Dialogue then carries the story all he way through the middle. The end is signaled by the appearance (in two narrative paragraphs) of three figures approaching tin the twilight. most of the end consists of conversation-mainly Vera's vivid, and made up tale explaining Mr. Nuttel's horror of dogs. It concludes with a line not in dialogue. Romance at short notice was her specialty.
SettingThe setting, including the pivotal open window, is shown mostly in dialogue. Vera's imagined scene on the moor is all in dialogue; "In crossing the moor... They were all three engulfed in a treacherous piece of bog. It had been that dreadful we summer...."
Character
Good dialogue shows the read directly what the character is like. You learn for yourself by judging their words, not by having the author tell you. Vera's tow long speeches show clearly that romance is her specialty. She like to tell fanciful tales.
What questions does Vera ask Framton?
What does Framton's words suggest about his personality?
What do you think is Vera's motivation for asking the questions?
What is suggested by Vera's description of her aunt including details such as
"poor", "she believes...", "talks about...", and "annoyed by brother" ?
What does Vera's dialogue show about her?
Why does Vera want Framton to wonder about the open window?
What makes her second tale about pariah dogs on the Ganges so effective?